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Modeltowner boys return top-tier talent

Gwinn’s Tucker Taylor (32) shoots against Iron Mountain on Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, in Iron Mountain, Mich. (Adam Niemi/Iron Mountain Daily News)

By RYAN SPITZA

Journal Sports Writer

GWINN — The Gwinn boys basketball team, who went 3-18 last season has some top-tier talent coming back this season.

The Modeltowners return six players from last year’s team including Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association All-U.P. Dream Teamer, Tucker Taylor.

Gwinn will look to Taylor as well as senior guard Austin Forbes for the bulk of its scoring, but head coach Jim Finkbeiner hopes to see other guys step up this season as well.

“One thing we struggled with last year was really not having a bench,” he said. “You look at our scores and there were so many games we were in for three quarters. We lacked depth and teams would take advantage of that. Inexperience can cost you.”

For example, the Modeltowners found themselves down just four points in the third quarter of the Class C district tournament semifinal against Ishpeming before the Hematites pulled away with a 22-0 run in the fourth for a 76-47 win.

As Finkbeiner said, depth was an obvious issue. However, he hopes that’s changed this year.

“Playing the quality teams we do night in and night out, things get difficult,” he said. “One of our bigger things was depth on the bench. We were playing our best players and they weren’t getting a rest.

“If we can spread the scoring a little bit more, that will help everybody. It will benefit us by giving guys a rest.

“It’s a tougher schedule with the West PAC this year, but hopefully with depth, our guys will still have their legs and give us more confidence.”

While getting your top players rest during a game is a good thing, Finkbeiner will still need Taylor and Forbes to play their usual roles.

“This will be their fourth season on the varsity team,” he said.

“We expect more out of them now as far as leadership and scoring goes. Tucker is a double-digit scorer and rebounder. His game is solid and hasn’t drifted off at all. We expect that out of him to be our go-to guy. Austin is a 16-point per night point guard. He’s continuing to gut it out and try to play as much as he possibly can after football season.”

Asked why Modeltowners fans should get to the gym this season, Finkbeiner went right back to depth.

“The depth we have is going to allow us to do some things I haven’t been able to do in my first two years,” he said. “Having a bench has allowed us to do things that we haven’t in the past. We’ll be exciting and fun to watch this year. It will be fun to watch our young guys grow.”

Gwinn boys

2018-19 schedule

All times Eastern

Nov. 30 — at West Iron, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 4 — Munising., 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 12 — at Ishpeming, 7:15 p.m.

Dec. 14 — Manistique, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 18 — Negaunee, 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20 — at Westwood, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 4 — Gladstone, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 — Houghton, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 11 — Iron Mount., 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 15 — at Gladstone, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 17 — Ishpeming, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 25 — at L’Anse, 7:15 p.m.

Jan. 29 — at Manistique, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1 — at Negaunee, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 5 — Hancock, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 8 — at Iron Mount., 7:45 p.m.

Feb. 12 — Westwood, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 15 — Calumet, 7:15 p.m.

Feb. 19 — at Escanaba, TBA

Feb. 22 — at Sup. Cent., 7:30 p.m.

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